Insomnia Dangers - If you look at recent history, people are starting to sleep less and less.  Less that 100 years ago, people slept 9 hours a night on average; now they’re getting less than 7 hours.  We have so many modern conveniences that are supposed to save us time, but really they just give us more to do.  Before you accept not sleeping enough as an inevitable way of life, consider the harmful effects sleep deprivation could be having on your body.

Physical effects
Most people are aware of the obvious short terms effects of sleep deprivation including exhaustion, fatigue, and a general lack of energy, but they’re less aware of some of the more serious physical consequences from not sleeping.  Sleep not only recharges and repairs our brains, it also repairs our bodies.  Here are some other problems that can arise from not sleeping enough:

* Inability to properly process glucose.  This can lead to high blood sugar levels and other symptoms of type II diabetes. This also causes glucose to be stored as fat, which can lead to weight gain

* Less consistent heart beat.

Mental effects
All day long, no matter what you’re doing, your brain is working.  It’s spending time inputting processing, and outputting information.  Even if you don’t think you get much done during the day, your brain does a lot of work.  That’s why it’s important that it has time to rest and recharge.  Here are just a few of the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation. 

* Less control over speech; exhibited through slurring, stuttering, speaking in monotone, and choosing repetitive words and clichés.  Scientists assume this occurs because the speech center of the brain actually shuts down and another, less capable part, must take over.

* Decreased judgment abilities and reaction time.  Sleep deprivation is comparable to alcohol intoxication when it comes to driving ability.

Emotional effects
While we tend to focus on the physical and mental symptoms of sleep deprivation, there are also significant emotional symptoms as well.  Emotional difficulties can take a severe toll on our personal relationships and safety.  Some emotional problems associated with sleep deprivation are:

* Increased emotional stress and anxiety.

* Extreme anger.  Sleep deprivation has actually been indicated to be one of the major causes of road rage.

It’s important to remember that not everyone needs the same amount of sleep.  You should try to get enough sleep to make yourself feel rested; this may mean getting more than 8 hours.  If you’re getting a lot of sleep and not feeling rested, you may have a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, and should see a doctor.  While it may be difficult to fit a good night’s sleep into your schedule, it will not only make you feel better, it will also make you more efficient in the time you spend awake.  Please get the rest you need!

To Learn More About ADHD… Click Now!

All people have natural rhythms and specific cycles of sleep.  Insomnia is caused by a lack of sleep and sleeping is one of the most important functions for our human body.  Sleeping is not just one cycle but a series of 5 mini cycles or stages.  Each of the 5 stages has a specific purpose and each cycle lasts about 90 minutes to 2 hours.  It is also possible for some cycles of sleep to repeat thoughout the night.

STAGE 1 - This is when you get tired and drowsy.  This stage lasts about 10 minutes and if you awake during this stage you will feel very tired and as if you never fell asleep in the first place.

STAGE 2 - This is your REM (rapid eye movement) stage.  Your eyes will dart back and forth (quick and random movements).  You will enter REM sleep within 90 minutes of initially falling asleep.  REM sleep is also where you will have dreams.  Your body goes through some changes like increased heart rate, rising blood pressure, breathing speeds ups, and your muscles will tense.  This is an important part of your restorative sleep cycle.

STAGE 3 - During this stage your body will naturally relax and get itself ready for a stages of deep sleep.  The eyes will stop their random movement, muscle will once again begin to relax, and your heart rate will return back to it's normal pace.

STAGE 4 - This stage is the first stage of deep sleep cycles.  Your body temperature will begin to lower slightly and your muscles will become even more relaxed.

STAGE 5 - At this stage will be your most deepest sleep cycle. It will be the most intense stage of relaxation and rest for your body.

If you awaken or interrupt any of these stages of sleep (from snoring, restlessness, etc) it will be like a short cirtcuit to your body preventing you from gaining the time needed to restore your body back to it's full healthy state.  Sleep is as vital to us as food, water, and air! Insomnia is the number one cause that prevents people form getting a good nights rest.  To learn more about sleep disorders and insomnia…

Insomnia - How to Get a Good Night's Sleep To Restore Your Body

Having zero stress in our lives in not very realistic.  Living in stress day to day is ultimately bad for your health.  A happy compromise is brief moments of stress like excitement, eagerness, and thrills.  This can make your blood circulate better, improve your memory, heighten your senses, and release mood enhancing chemicals in your brain.  These are just some of the healthy benefits of limited stress.

Long lasting stress can weaken your immune system, lead to high blood pressure, and possibly heart disease.  If you always feel tired, overwhelmed, and irritable then you have the classic symptoms too much stress in your life.  Try to re-evaluate your responsibilities and let go of the less important things in your life that are not necessary.  Some of the best ways to relieve stress are regular exercise, meditation, and getting enough sleep every night.

Boredom, fatigue, and unhappiness could be signs of too little stress in your life.  Try something new to get your senses going.  A little excitement in your life can be good for you.  Try a new hobby, start an exercise program, or engage in new friends.  A little excitement can be good for you!